Morrissey Rocks Hollywood High School After Staples Center Gig

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Iconic crooner Morrissey had quite an eventful week in Los Angeles. He canceled an anticipated appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! over “animal serial killers,” his description of the cast for A&E reality show Duck Dynasty, who were booked to appear on the same show, setting off a mini-feud with the talk show host.

The singer also demanded that the Staples Center go meat-free for his headlining concert on March 1, which ultimately resulted in a draw. While the nearly 20,000 capacity arena shut down the on-site McDonald’s and offered only vegetarian fare on the main floor, meat items were readily available on other levels.

But for diehard fans of the former frontman of The Smiths, the highlight of the week was a last-minute show scheduled for the Hollywood High School auditorium. Tickets for the special event sold out in a single minute.

Fans began lining up around the famous high school in the wee hours of the morning for the Saturday night (March 2) show, wrapping around the block and stretching down Hollywood Boulevard. Ironically and much to Moz’s dismay, the school is situated next door to one of Southern California’s busiest locations of popular restaurant chain In-N-Out Burger, and kitty-corner to a new Chick-Fil-A outlet.

Security worked frantically to get the massive crowd (which included actress Zoe Kravitz) inside the small auditorium in a timely fashion, with the school’s mural of famous alumni like Judy Garland, Ricky Nelson and Carol Burnett overlooking the chaotic scene.

After an opening set from perpetual Moz tour-mate Kristeen Young, comedian Russell Brand (who caused a commotion when fans spied him in the crowd at the Staples Center show) took the stage to announce Morrissey with a brief but heartfelt monologue about what the singer meant to him growing up in England.